5 Surprisingly Useful Apps for Nordic Skiers

Fitness apps that track your workout and heart rate abound, but these five apps for cross-country skiers add a layer of useful cool to your ski days.

1. Cross-country Skiing Technique by Bundesamt für Sport

Members of the Swiss national team demonstrate classic and skate technique in this high-level instruction app. Video clips show how to execute individual steps in real time, slow motion and with diagrams. No signal? No problem. Once the app has been downloaded, the videos can be played without an internet connection so you can use it on the trail.

Get it: $4. itunes

2. Ski Tracks

This app is a mainstay for alpine skiers, but its functions apply to Nordic, too. Using the GPS in your phone, it records your ski sessions and logs them into the app, including speeds, distance and vertical gain.

Get it: $.99. itunes & Google Play

3. Waze

I-70 traffic is becoming more of a deal-breaker for day-trip skiers, but with some help from your fellow travelers you can beat the rush. Waze is a community-based navigation app where drivers share real-time traffic and road info to allow you to avoid jams, accidents and closures (even speed traps) on the way to your Nordic ski destination. It’s versatile and adapts quickly to changing traffic conditions.

Get it: Free. itunes & Google Play

4. Madshus eMpower

This app is ski-specific and works in conjunction with an embedded radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip in Madshus ski construction. The camber height, flex and other specs of each ski are loaded into a global digital database allowing you to select the right skis for your specific profile. The app then let's you customize performance whenever you head out on to the snow thanks to the embedded wax helper; you can also choose the right ski for conditions, to pair with certain waxes or course profiles, and track your workouts.

Get it: Free. itunes

5. FIT Radio

Facing a 30k ski on your own and need some inspiration? This music-streaming app features DJ-created mixes that maintain a consistent beat so you can pair workouts with tempo. Browse mixes by genre, DJ, or type of workout (such as spin, yoga) or put together a workout mix on your own. With the free level of FIT Radio, you get only one genre of music and only a few mixes. A premium membership gets you more than 25 genres and stations, access to more mixes, unlimited skips, track list information, the ability to save favorites, and no ads.

Get it: Free or $3.99 per month for Premium. itunes